The young punk rock band just finished their “Bullying Sucks” tour, headlined by a song of the same name. They kicked off on September 24 in Grand Forks, and then made their way through B.C. and the Prairies.

Childsplay ended their tour in Princeton on October 6.

“Music is an escape from bullying, playing an album won’t yell at you for being the way you are, it will make you feel better about it,” said bassist William Hooley, after Childsplay’s concert in Castlegar on September 26.

“Society pumps kids full of fear regardless. The last thing kids need to fear are their peers; they should stand strong beside them.”

At that concert, in Castelgar, Childsplay were welcomed by 100 students from Stanley Humphries Secondary School, where they played their show.

They were also joined by local acts such as Roy Has Fire, Leeza Perehudoff, Jessica Auger, and Katie Clemans-Gibbons.

Pink Shirt Day and B.C.’s various anti-bullying groups have been very active this week with the passing of Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide on Oct. 10, 2012.

“Facebook pages created to memorialize suicide victim Amanda Todd have fallen prey to Internet trolls and cyberbullies, who are openly mocking the 15-year-old girl for taking her own life after she was tormented by bullies,” reported the Tri-City News on Tuesday.

Todd grew up in Maple Ridge and lived with her mom in Port Coquitlam.

Childsplay said they themed their tour around bullying because they were victims of it in high school.

“It’s not a normal part of life,” said the band’s drummer, Levin Faber. “Bullying is a serious issue and not enough things are being done about it.”

The next Pink Shirt Day runs on February 27, 2013. Black Press and its newspapers will be supporting the initiative.

Last year, Premier Christy Clark led a Pink Shirt Day rally in Victoria (video below).